Love is Love Warrior Cats Fan Fiction
by starclaw05
Summary: Maplepaw is just an ordinary Thunderclan apprentice, when an unexpected twist changes her whole life. Love, joy, sadness... Will she have to sacrifice the one she loves most to carry on being a loyal warrior?
1. Chapter 1

**Love is Love**

By Charlotte Barton 

Inspired by Erin Hunter

 **CHAPTER 1**

Maplepaw headed out of the Thorn Tunnel with her littermates Fernpaw and Sunpaw, her amber eyes glowing in excitement. It was their first adventure out of camp on their own, and their mentors Foxleap, Rosepetal and Whitewing had assigned them to go hunting. "Remember, don't go outside the Thunderclan borders," Rosepetal had warned them in a stern voice. "Of course," Sunpaw had assured them - he had always been the most outspoken out of the three of them. Maplepaw was the quiet one, Foxleap's apprentice, and Fernpaw was the sweet beautiful one, Rosepetal's apprentice. Maplepaw had always envied her sister because of her looks, and because she knew Shadowpaw, the strong and kind tom, liked her. Fernpaw of course liked him back, but so did Maplepaw. She shook her head. There was no time to think about that now. As her mind whirled back to the real world, she glimpsed the lake sparkling through the trees, and Sunpaw's dazzling golden fur in the light. Fernpaw's speckled brown fur shone next to his, and her deep green eyes looked into her's. "Come on, Maplepaw!" she yowled back to the spotted tortoiseshell. Maplepaw hurried back up to her littermates. "Sorry!"

Maplepaw scented a thrush digging in the leaf-fall bracken. Even when a leaf crackled under her paw and the thrush looked up, it went back to digging because Maplepaw's pelt blended so well with her surroundings. She crept closer and closer, then pounced and killed the thrush with a single swipe to it's neck. She silently gave thanks to Starclan, then padded back to her littermates. "Nice one!" Fernpaw mewed. "Thanks," Maplepaw managed to mumble with her jaws full of prey. She then dug some earth over it and carried on hunting. She spotted a squirrel scurrying towards a tree, and Maplepaw began to chase it. She came closer and closer to the new set of twoleg nests on the edge of Thunderclan territory, and when she finally managed to catch the prey she realised she was only a few tail lengths from a twoleg fence!

Weirdly, Maplepaw felt more curiosity filling her body than fear. She cautiously padded closer, then glanced behind her to make sure Sunpaw and Fernpaw weren't there. She skirted around the edge of the fence, keeping a close eye on what was around her. Finally, she came to a square of fence that was missing, the perfect size for a cat to go in and out. Creeping in, she had managed to find her way into a twoleg garden. Staring around, Maplepaw saw the perfectly cropped and shaped plants and flowers, in neat rows and not one weed. Sniffing around, she recognised catmint and yarrow, and made a mental note to tell Leafpool and Jayfeather. She quickly pulled off a few stalks of both plants, then crept back through the gap in the fence. What she didn't notice was a pair of giant eyes, clear as the lake water and as blue as a sapphire, staring after her.

Back in camp she dropped her squirrel and thrush on the fresh kill pile then padded over to the Medicine Den with the herbs. "Is anything wrong?" Leafpool asked, not looking up from the herbs she was sorting. "Oh, I found some Catmint and Yarrow so I thought I should bring you some," she replied setting the herbs in front of her. "Yes, we were needing some of that. Do you mind going back for some more Catmint tomorrow? We are getting ready for half moon so we don't have time to go out." Maplepaw nodded and left the den. She was curious to go back because the twoleg nest seemed interesting to her, everything neat and precise, so different from the forest. At sunset she went out to eat some fresh kill, and chose the plump thrush she caught earlier. Then she went to sit next to her parents Lionblaze and Cinderheart who were sharing tongues. She didn't talk much, she was just thinking about what else was at the twoleg nest. _Was there a cat there? What were the twolegs like?_ With a full belly, Maplepaw fell into a deep sleep.

Opening her eyes, Maplepaw found herself in a lush green leaf forest. _But it's leaf-fall!_ Then she realised this must be a dream. Even though every thing was a bright luscious green, when she looked up she saw a black sky filled with thousands of stars. She padded onward, sniffing each plant and tree, until she saw the silhouette of a starry cat standing before her. She ran towards it, and came face to face with a beautiful silver she-cat, with stars in her pelt. Maplepaw didn't recognise her scent, but somehow she had a natural sense of respect for her. "Hello, Maplepaw," she mewed, her voice as sweet as honey, "I am Feathertail, the one who went on the great journey with your distant kin Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw." Maplepaw stared at her in awe. She had heard many tales of the great journey, which 6 cats from all the clans went on to find their new home, the lake. Her great aunt Squirrelflight and her mate, Brambleclaw, represented Thunderclan. Feathertail and her brother Stormfur represented Riverclan, but Feathertail had died on the journey in the mountains, saving the ones she loved from the evil Mountain Lion Sharptooth. Stormfur had decided to stay and live in the mountains to respect his sister, and so he could stay with his mate Brook. "Why have you come to me?," Maplepaw asked, puzzled, "I am just an ordinary apprentice from a different clan." Feathertail shook her head, "I have connections with Thunderclan, and look over all of you. But, Maplepaw, I have come to you specially because you will have great troubles ahead. _The one you love will be someone you least expect, but Love is Love, and you must carry on_." Then she started to fade into the starry night. "Wait! You must tell me more!" But then Maplepaw opened her eyes and she was back in the Apprentices Den.

Still thinking about her dream the next morning, she started grooming herself, her fur ruffled with annoyance and confusion. Why wouldn't Starclan tell her anything? Surely her love would end up being one of the toms in this very den! Shadowpaw stood up and stretched, while her closest friend Oakpaw asked her what was getting under her fur. "Just a weird dream I had," Maplepaw replied. Foxleap and Thornclaw stuck their heads into the den. "Dappepaw! Maplepaw! Dawn patrol!" Daplepaw opened her eyes and slowly padded outside, and Maplepaw followed. She liked Dapplepaw. She wasn't as close to her as Oakpaw, but she was still a friend. Maplepaw also knew that Dapplepaw and Oakpaw liked eachother as mates, so she liked to get under their fur about that. There were seven apprentices at the moment, and the den was getting very full. But Maplepaw liked that, and when she heard about the story of Birchfall and Whitewing being the only apprentices, she was very glad it wasn't like that for her. She had Sunpaw, Fernpaw, Shadowpaw, Oakpaw, Dapplepaw, Creekpaw and herself. She, Fernpaw and Sunpaw were the kits of Lionblaze and Cinderpelt, Shadowpaw and Dapplepaw were the two kits of Poppyfrost and Berrynose, and Oakpaw and Creekpaw were the two sons of Dovewing and Bumblestripe.

 **I will be making the second chapter very soon! Thanks for reading and please review :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

 **Also guys I know the last chapter was really long so I'm going to try and shorten this one. Thanks for the follower and the reviews! :)**

The dawn patrol was uneventful, except for a Windclan patrol who just passed by without saying anything. Maplepaw's heart thumped with excitement. Now it was time to go back to the twoleg nest! She ran over to the Medicine Den to let the Medicine Cats know, and they nodded. "It would be great if you could have the catmint back here before we set out for the Moonpool," Leafpool said. "Ok, I should be back by then," Maplepaw replied, trying to keep her voice calm in front of the respected Medicine Cats. Once their heads were turned again, she bounded out of the Thorn Tunnel, feeling as if she could fly like a bird. On the way she caught a plump mouse, then buried it. _I'll take that to the elders_.

Once she reached the twoleg nest, she crept through the missing square in the fence and crouched down next to the catmint. _All I need are a few stalks of these, then I can go explore_ , she reassured herself as she cautiously pulled off a few stalks. _That should be enough_. She was about to leave when she heard a tom's voice mew, "Wait!" Maplepaw spun around. Had someone caught her in a twoleg garden? But when she sniffed the air there was no Clan Cat scent, just kittypet. Maplepaw sighed in relief, but still looked around to see where the voice came from. Perched on the steps leading up to the twoleg nest was a dark brown, almost black, tom with those brilliant blue eyes. His pelt looked sleek and he looked well fed like a kittypet, though weirdly, Maplepaw could see his strong muscles bunching. _If this cat was in Thunderclan, he'd still be an apprentice_. "Who are you?" Maplepaw questioned him from where she was crouched. The tom jumped from his perch and landed lightly in front of her. "I am Falcon," he replied, his voice tinged with adoration. "I am Maplepaw, loyal apprentice of Thunderclan," Maplepaw announced, though her voice didn't sound as steady as she hoped it would be. "Don't worry, I am a friend to you. I have heard about the clans by the lake, and when I came here from twoleg place as a kit I hoped to meet them. I don't really like living as a kittypet, and I only come back to this nest for a place to sleep." Maplepaw nodded. He sounded pretty Clan-worthy, but she wasn't quite sure about him. "I have to go back to my camp now. The Medicine Cats really need these herbs." He waved his fluffy tail. "Take all you want, but I only ask that come back to meet me tomorrow." Maplepaw's whiskers twitched in thought. "Ok," she replied, a longing in her pretty amber eyes.

On the way back to camp, she picked up the mouse she had caught earlier and brought it back to camp with the herbs. She didn't know if she should trust Falcon, but he seemed nice, and a feeling she couldn't describe was churning in her belly, calling her to see him again. It was almost the same thing she felt for Shadowpaw, yet it was much stronger.

 **Please review! Chapter three will be coming soon :)))**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

 **Please review!**

Maplepaw had been meeting with Falcon for two moons now, and she was having the time of her life. The unusual feeling in her belly had grown stronger, but she liked it. Yesterday she had told him to meet her at night next time, because she was going to show him something. He nodded, his whiskers twitching in excitement. Maplepaw wanted to impress him, even though deep inside her heart she knew he thought she was perfect.

Fernpaw and Sunpaw prodded Maplepaw awake. As she slowly blinked open her eyes, Sunpaw cried, "Come on! You're not a dormouse! We are doing our assessments!" Maplepaw's heart skipped a beat. She had completely forgotten about her assessment, always thinking about Falcon. If she wasn't ready for this, she might throw away all these moons of training to be a warrior! Maplepaw was up and awake now, fear churning in her belly about the assessment. She could see Shadowclaw and Dapplecloud lying in the dying leaf-fall sun, eating a mouse. They had recently become warriors, and Maplepaw wished she could be them, already having successfully completed their warrior assessments. Foxleap, Rosepetal and Whitewing called to them from the Thorn Tunnel. "Come here!" As the littermates bounded over Foxleap explained the assessment. "All three of you will go to different parts of Thunderclan territory to hunt. You must not talk to each other, and you must catch as much prey as you can with the most skillful techniches." Whitewing added, "We will be watching you, though you won't see us, and if you succeed you will become warriors." The apprentices nodded, and each went a different way into the forest.

Maplepaw went towards the Shadowclan border, where there was lots of thick undergrowth for little creatures to find food. Almost immediately after she left the camp, she spotted a mouse scuffling through some fallen leaves. Instinctively she dropped into a hunter's crouch, and shuffled forward. Killing the mouse with one swift bite, she hoped Foxleap was watching. By sun high, Maplepaw had caught three mice, one sparrow, and two thrushes. As she started digging out the prey from where she had buried it, Foxleap appeared out of a gorse bush. Maplepaw jumped, surprised she didnt' see his bright fox-coloured pelt. "It's ok," he reassured her, his whiskers twitching in amusement, "You did really well." Maplepaw felt her pelt glow in pride from the praise her mentor gave her. As she entered the camp, she could see Sunpaw and Fernpaw waiting for her with excitement in their eyes. "I think we passed!" Sunpaw exclaimed, though it was very unusual for an apprentice _not_ to pass. As the three littermates settled down for an afternoon nap, Maplepaw could see the three mentors scramble up to Highledge to talk to Firestar.

"Wake up!" Foxleap was prodding Maplepaw awake with his paw, and as she opened her eyes she could see Sunpaw and Fernpaw's mentors doing the same. For a second, she was worried. _Is there an attack?_ But then excitement crept into her belly as she realised what was happening. Before Maplepaw could think about it Firestar called from the Highledge, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join me for a clan meeting!" Her whiskers twitched in amusement as Mosskit and Tawnykit scampered out into the clearing, and their mother Squirrelflight's bushy tail herding them back into the Nursery. Once everyone had joined the meeting, Firestar began. "Today, we have three important announcements. The time has come for Sunpaw, Fernpaw and Maplepaw to become warriors. In the name of Starclan, I call them up here." They all scrambled up, and Maplepaw's heart skipped a beat. "Maplepaw, do you promise to uphold the requests of Starclan and defend our clan with you life?" Maplepaw barely managed to squeak, "I do." Firestar looked at her, his eyes glowing, "Then from now on you will be called Maplefall." The same thing happened with Sunpaw and Fernpaw, not called Sunclaw and Fernwhisker. "Maplefall! Sunclaw! Fernwhisker!" her clanmates shouted. Maplefall had never felt so happy in her life, except maybe when she was with Falcon.

 **I know nothing really happens in this chapter, but next chapter there will be some more drama :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

 **Guys I'm so sorry I haven't written a chapter in so long! :| School has been really busy lately with end of year assessments. Anyway, hope you enjoy! :)**

Maplefall's heart was filled with excitement and anxiousness at the same time. She had just received her warrior name and was supposed to be watching the camp on her Warrior Vigil, but she had slipped away from her littermates as they were gazing wistfully at Silverpelt. Maplefall hadn't expected to get her warrior name a this time, and still had a promise to Falcon which she didn't want to break. Silently, she crept through the forest, slithering aside occasionally to avoid a clump of sharp brambles or thorns. Finally, reaching the twoleg nests, she glanced around and scampered towards the hole in the fence. Falcon was there, his eyes fixed on the gap where Maplefall had entered, waiting for her. "Your here!" he whispered, then licked Maplefall on the head. She purred and looked up at his valiant face. "Come on! I've got something to show you. But first, close your eyes." He nodded, then squeezed his eyes shut. Maplefall guided him through the thick undergrowth, then out towards the lake. A cool breeze drifted from the crystal water, and moonlight washed over them, almost as if Starclan themselves were lighting their path. "Can I open my eyes, now?" Falcon breathed into Maplefall's ear. "Yes," she replied, her eyes sparkling with adoration. When Falcon first saw what was around them, he gasped with amazement. "It's beautiful!" he exclaimed, stars reflecting in his eyes, "Almost as beautiful as you, Maplefall." Both cats walked down to the shore, not quite touching the endless lapping of waves, but not touching the plants and trees of the forest either. Maplefall buried her head into Falcon's thick, soft fur. "You are the most wonderfull cat I've ever met," she murmured. She never wanted the night to end, and as she drifted off to sleep, all she could hear was Falcon's purring and the gentle gurgle of the lake.

When Maplefall awoke, the pale light of dawn had started to cover the stars. Relieved, she still had a bit of time to get back to her Vigil, she swished her tail over Falcon to wake him. "You're leaving?" he muttered, still half asleep. "I have to get back to my Warrior Vigil, remember?" Immediately he got to his paws. "Right. I forgot." He gave her a quick lick of farewell, and told her to meet him at his nest after sunhigh. Once Maplefall had reached camp, Sunclaw and Fernwhisker, looked as if they might fall asleep then and there. Though Maplefall felt bad for them, she was glad because they didn't notice her padding back to sit next to them. Sunclaw's head turned, "I could have sworn you weren't here a minute ago." Fernwhisker looked puzzled aswell. "No, no. I've been here the whole time," Maplefall replied hastily, "You must have just been too tired." Then, there were footsteps behind them and Brambleclaw mewed, "Well done. From now on you hree will be sleeping in the Warriors den." Fernwhisker and Sunclaw nodded eagerly, but for the first time since meeting Falcon, Maplefall felt her belly churning with guilt. _Is meeting Falcon the right thing to do?_

Although she had doubts about seeing Falcon, for the next moon Maplefall kept meeting him. She hardly managed it with all these new Warriors duties, and once, by only sunhigh, she was so exhausted she went to the Warriors Den and slept. Her last thought told her that she must stop meeting Falcon, even though her heart pulled her back to him. She woke up again to a bright, lush forest, and instantly recognised it as Starclan hunting grounds. Feathertail appeared out of the undergrowth and padded towards her. "Hello again. I hear you have received your warrior name," she mewed. Maplefall nodded, "Yes, but this dream isn't about that, is it? It's about Falcon." Feathertail replied, "Yes, young warrior, it is about Falcon. _The one you love will be someone you least expect, but Love is Love, and you must carry on._ You know Falcon is the cat you love, don't you?" Maplefall nodded again, waiting for Feathertail to tell her to stop meeting him. _But then, why does the prophecy tell me that 'Love is Love'?_ "Yes, Maplefall, I know what you're thinking. You must stop meeting Falcon, but there is another way. Just remember, Love is Love," Feathertail whispered, then faded away into the stars. Maplefall woke with distress churning in her belly. What would she do without her dearest Falcon? _There is another way_ , Feathertail's words echoed in her mind. She knew the Starclan cat was right, but she couldn't bear it. All Maplefall knew was that she had to see those brilliant blue eyes and that soft dark fur one last time, just to say goodbye.

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

 **Woohoo! I'm on Summer break! I can post almost everyday now, but sorry for not posting in such a long time :|**

Maplefall crept out of camp, again. _There is another way._ Those words were all that were keeping her back from turning around and running back to camp. This was her final goodbye to Falcon, even though she still hoped that there would be another way, just like Feathertail had said. Finally she reached the twoleg nest, her belly churning with sadness and anxiety. What would Falcon think of her decision? As Maplefall pushed her way through the gap in the fence, Falcon looked at her with loving blue eyes. They were sparkling like diamonds in the sun, and Maplefall would miss them so much that it hurt. "What's wrong?" He asked sympathetically, probably assuming she was having some minor issues at camp. "Falcon, there's something I need to tell you," Maplefall replied with a sorrowful sigh. He looked worried now, knowing that her sadness concerned him. "I have to stop meeting you!" she blurted out, close to breaking down. "I am failing at my warrior duties, and I cannot live like this any longer. I am too tired to do anything!" Falcon looked amused for a moment, like maybe Maplefall was playing around, but then he realised she was dead serious. "Please stay with me," he pleaded, "Why have you chosen to do this?" Maplefall explained to him all about her dream. "But there is another way, according to this Starclan cat," he argued. "I don't understand what Feathertail means by that," she confessed, helpless. "All I know is that I must say goodbye." Then she gave him the most meaningful look she could conjure up and left, not looking back once.

For the next moon or so, Maplefall walked with her tail drooping, wishing to have Falcon back. Everyday she doubted herself for leaving him, even though deep inside she thought it was probably the right idea. "What's wrong?" Fernwhisker asked her for the fifth time since dawn. "Nothing," Maplefall muttered, suppressing an eye roll at Fernwhisker's innocence. While Maplefall was in a very complicated relationship, Fernwhisker had easily become mates with Shadowclaw, and would probably be expecting kits soon. Creektail and Oakfur had also recently become warriors, about a moon after her own ceremony. Oakfur, her closest friend while they were apprentices, was also very concerned for her, though they had grown apart after Maplefall started seeing Falcon. Now that she didn't see Falcon everyday, Maplefall had become quite lonely and wished she and Oakfur were friends again.

Another moon passed, and Maplefall dreamt of Falcon every night. She prayed to Starclan, wishing that he was with her again. Maplefall was growing impatient, expecting Feathertail to send her some sort of guidance. The next day, she padded up to Oakfur, wishing for some time to be a normal carefree warrior. "Want to go hunting?" she asked. "Sure," he said happily, glad to be back with his old pal again. They ran through the forest, tails streaming behind them. The wind whistled through Maplefall's ears, and for once she didn't think about Falcon. Her whiskers twitched with happiness when, out of breath, they reached a cool grassy clearing full of the sounds of prey. Immediately they both dropped into the hunter's crouch and began stalking around. By the end of the session Oakfur had three thrushes, one black bird and two mice, and Maplefall had four voles, one sparrow and two squirrels. She felt very proud, and also very glad she had Oakfur back, though she couldn't feel the same way about him as Falcon. Also, Oakfur and Dapplecloud seemed to be hanging around each other a lot, and Dapplecloud had grown quite chubby, a sign of having kits. But Maplefall didn't care that Oakfur wasn't her mate, she just wanted a friend, someone to distract her from Falcon.

 **Please review, and I'll be posting more often, don't worry :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

 **Ok, I'm sorry I literally haven't posted at all. It's only because we went overseas for Christmas and I didn't realise I wouldn't have time to write… anyways, happy holidays! :)**

Almost half a moon later, Maplefall had heard nothing from Starclan. She assumed Feathertail had given up on her because she had done something wrong. Fernwhisker had moved to the nursery, and was expecting kits in one moon. At least this was one thing Maplefall could be proud and happy about, and even though there was deep sorrow in the pit of her stomach, she was starting to feel normal and happy again. Guilty as she felt about forgetting about Falcon, she and the rest of the camp were excited for some more kits. When Maplefall had first left Falcon, she had been so miserable that she didn't eat much, and now that she was settling back in again, she had grown back to a normal size, even slightly chubby. Obviously, Leafpool and Jayfeather were happy with this, and everyone assumed the weight gain was Maplefall getting her appetite back. Everyday she eagerly volunteered for any patrols or tasks she could find, because she found being busy felt good, and it distracted her from Falcon.

One sunrise, Maplefall was feeling extra energised, so she decided to take a hunt in the forest. Sunclaw was sitting outside the den, stretching happily in the weak morning sun. "Where are you going?" he asked through a yawn. "Oh, just to the forest for a run and a hunt," Maplefall mewed cheerily. "Would you like to come?" Sunclaw stood up and nodded. _This is what a normal warrior feels like_. They both scampered out into the undergrowth, happy to spend some littermate time together like the apprentice days. After a while they reached the lake, out of breath. "Let's try to catch some fish!" Sunclaw suggested jokingly, so they both padded up to shore and tried to find fish without getting wet. Maplefall spotted a tiny trout swishing around reasonably close to the shore, so she pounced on it with a mighty force, not expecting to catch it. Obviously, it had swum away even before she had landed, but it was fun, even though they hated getting their paws wet and they weren't doing any good for their clan. Sunclaw and Maplefall splashed around in the lake shore until they were so exhausted they collapsed on the rocky ground. Maplefall sighed. She was having so much fun but she knew they had to serve their clan in some way. "We should probably do some proper hunting for the fresh kill pile," Sunclaw said, as if he was reading Maplefall's mind. "Oh, but it was so fun pretending to be Riverclan cats!" she mewed, knowing inside that it was so stupid. "How about we will hunt until we each get three pieces of prey, then we can quickly try to catch fish before we go back," Sunclaw suggested. "Ok then, let's go!" Maplefall laughed, and scampered back into the forest before Sunclaw could even reply.

Soon enough, they met each other back at the shore with three pieces of prey each. Sunclaw had a sparrow and two mice, and Maplefall had a thrush, a vole and a mouse. They dropped to fresh kill in a pile by a gorse bush before returning to the water. Immediately they started wading into the water, sprays of fresh cold liquid seeping into their fur. "This is amazing!" Sunclaw cried, "I never knew I loved water this much!" Maplefall was half way into replying when she sunk to the bottom of the shallows, the lake muffling the terrible moans that came out of her mouth. Sunclaw hastily pushed his way over to see what was wrong. Gasping for air, Maplefall briefly managed to say, "My belly! My belly hurts!" And then she was down again, the pain and lack of air slowly darkening her vision. _Where will I go if Starclan has given up on me? I don't want to die!_

The next thing Maplefall knew, she was waking up to a leafy dim light, and saw Leafpool looking over her. "Are you dead as well? Is this Starclan?" Maplefall croaked. Leafpool's whiskers slightly twitched in amusement. "No, Maplefall. You fell in the lake and Sunclaw brought you back here unconscious." Now all the memories came back to her. "What was wrong with me? Why did I suddenly fall like that?" Then Jayfeather padded up to her and he and Leafpool looked down with sympathetic eyes. "Maplefall," Jayfeather began, "I'm afraid you're e-expecting-" He stuttered and then Leafpool firmly but reluctantly finished the sentence. "You're expecting kits, Maplefall." Maplefall's heart flipped over. Expecting kits? That's why she was getting chubby! _Oh, no! Oh, no!_ She knew who the father must be, and she had to tell him before the kits came. "When are they due?" She asked timidly. "A quarter moon," Jayfeather replied. "You should have been in the nursery a moon ago!" Leafpool looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry that we didn't help you sooner. We are the medicine cats, and we should have taken care of this. I don't know how we didn't know!" Maplefall looked up at them and told them that it was ok, she just needed some time alone. Hopefully she could sneak out, and the medicine cats would assume it was just her thinking about what had happened. Maplefall needed to let Falcon know before it was too late.

 **Thanks for reading and please review! Again, happy holidays to everyone :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

 **I think the story will be ending in the next couple of chapters, so stay tuned! xD**

Maplefall sped through the woods, despite the continuing aching coming from her belly. She was still in shock about the news she had just received, and didn't know if she should be happy or sad about it. Finally, groaning with pain, she reached the twoleg nest, and crept inside. _Maybe I should have stayed_ Maplefall fretted. Cautiously, she peered through the gap, her heart beating as if she was running at top speed. It was all too familiar, the one place she never imagined herself going to again. Maplefall peered around, and what worried her more than meeting him again was that he wasn't to be seen. This was the last chance she would have and she would feel terrible if the kits were born without him knowing. But then a dark brown cat pushed through the flap in the doorway and sprung up to his perch on the gate. Falcon looked around at the vast forest around him, not noticing Maplefall crouching at the entrance. Then he looked down, and the shock on his face couldn't be described. "M-maplefall?" he stuttered, suddenly out of breath. Maplefall sighed and looked down at the ground when his eyes moved to her belly. "I've come to tell you the news that you've probably already guessed." He slowly nodded before Maplefall continued. "I'm expecting kits in a quarter moon. This is the last chance I get to see you before I'll be stuck in the nursery all day." Falcon eyes were sad and happy at the same time. " _Kits,"_ he repeated wistfully. "What are we going to do? Who are you going to say is the father?"

Maplefall hadn't even thought about this yet. _What do I do? What do I do?_ "Well," Falcon began cautiously, "Maybe I could, well you know, join your clan?" He looked up, his blue eyes sparkling in the evening light. Could this be the way that Starclan wanted? Maybe Maplefall should bring him home. Her mind flew round and round, trying to decide. Eventually she gave up. "Alright, let's go." And with that she gave a smile, wondering if this was going to be the beginning of a new life, one that was much better. At first Maplefall could scamper along beside Falcon fine, but soon enough the pains in her stomach got worse, and she had to stop. "You should be more gentle on the kits," Falcon suggested lovingly, "We will go slower." So, for the rest of the way back they trotted along beside eachother, happy for new life and new love.

They reached the camp, and by now the air was putrid with Falcon's fear scent. "It's ok," Maplefall whispered in his ear, even though half the clan was staring at them with suspicion and curiosity. Hastily, she led Falcon to Firestar's den, and luckily she made the jump with little pain. "You may enter," Firestar called out sleepily, obviously having his evening nap. "Firestar, this is Falcon. He is a strong, kind and skilled cat that is from the the twoleg place but knew he never belonged there." Maplefall sighed. "He is also the father of my kits, and we both think he should be in Thunderclan." Firestar looked up at both of them and then scanned his eyes up and down Falcon. "I see," he said calmly, though you could see he had sympathy for Falcon because long ago he was born a kittypet also. Firestar had had a hard time earning his place in the clan but had gotten it deservingly. "You too look like you're in love," he said, his whiskers twitching in amusement. "If Falcon proves himself to be a loyal and skilled cat he will stay in our Clan with a well deserved place. Until that time comes, he can stay here if he likes, but every other cat has the right to be suspicious of you." Falcon nodded. "It's an honor to meet you, Firestar. Maplefall has told me a lot about you." Firestar laughed. "It looks like you'll be a fine warrior." Then they left, both relieved that Falcon was welcome.

By the end of the day, Falcon had his own nest in the warriors den and everyone in Thunderclan knew who he was and where he had come from. Mousefur, Duspelt and a couple others were still suspicious of him, but other than that most of Maplefall's clanmates had welcomed him easily. He still needed to officially prove himself, but at least cats had made him welcome. Maplefall moved to the nursery that night, where Fernwhisker lay, her belly round with kits. "When are yours due?" she asked, excited that she would be sharing parenthood with her own sister. "A quarter moon," Maplefall replied happily. She felt warm and joyous, something she hadn't felt since the days she spent with Falcon. "Oh, sooner than mine. Mine are due in a little less than a moon. Leafpool says I'll be having two kits. Did she tell you how many you were getting?" _Gosh! Fernwhisker is a chatterbox!_ But Maplefall kind of enjoyed it, and for once she wasn't anoyed at her sister for being too innocent or too beautiful, she just loved her for the way she was. "Yes, I'm having four," Maplefall mewed at last, lost in thought. Fernwhisker nodded, groomed herself and slowly fell asleep. The gentle lapping of her tongue also put Maplefall asleep, peaceful and happy.

Suddenly, Maplefall was in a luscious green forest. The stars up above sparkled intensely, and then she realised she was in Starclan hunting grounds. This time it took her awhile to recognise it, because she hadn't been there in many moons. _I'm back!_ Then Feathertail padded up to her, her pelt glowing so much Maplefall almost didn't recognise her. "Feathertail!" she cried. "You're back! Why didn't you talk to me? Don't you know how hard it was for me?" Feathertail nodded. "I do, but you pushed through it. That journey was one you needed to complete on your own. You needed to make your own choices, but always know that we didn't abandon you, we were watching over you the entire time." Maplefall nodded, still puzzled. "Then why did you come to me tonight?" Feathertail looked at her, blue eyes glowing with pride. "Because you made the right choice. Some cats of Starclan thought you would never make it through on your own, that you needed more help. But love and loyalty to your clan brought you to the right decision. That there was another way, to be loyal to your clan and have Falcon with you. Of course we gave you guidance, but we told you what we knew, what would help you. You learned a great lesson from this, Maplefall. You brought Falcon back, and found the other way, to take him to your clan, where both of your hearts belong."

 **Please review and sorry for the long chapter! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

 **Last chapter everyone! Sorry I haven't updated for so long, I was away 3**

Maplefall awoke with a long yawn. It had been two sunrises since Falcon had started living with the clan, and she could tell that he loved it. He was doing very well with patrols, volunteering eagerly for almost everything. Despite this, he always managed to come talk to Maplefall and the kits in the nursery, fretting about when they were coming. "Don't worry, Falcon," Maplefall laughed when he came flying in after a long patrol, looking around nervously for any new kits. Fernwhisker laughed too, and even admitted that she was growing fond of Falcon aswell. Most of the clan was still asleep, but Maplefall had awoken with the kits kicking at her belly. "Kits!" she muttered under her breath. She looked around sleepily. There was a newly made bed of moss on one side of her, ready for Dapplecloud to move into the nursery. She was due to have kits in two moons. After about ten minutes of just thinking, Maplefall heard cats starting to stir for the dawn patrol. Glancing outside, she saw Falcon trot out of the Warriors Den, followed by Spiderleg, Poppyfrost, Sunclaw, Dovewing and Firestar. Maplefall sighed happily and drifted back to sleep.

Falcon woke up ready for the dawn patrol. Brambleclaw had happily chosen him for lots of patrols, after proving he was an excellent hunter and fighter. He had even grown quite popular between all the cats, even though he _still_ hadn't been confirmed part of Thunderclan by Firestar. Falcon tried with all his might to do something to make Firestar confirm him, but he guessed it wasn't quite good enough yet. He always glimpsed Firestar watching him from his perch on Highledge. Falcon sighed, but maybe this patrol would be the one, because Firestar was leading it! They all trotted out of camp, and Firestar led them to the Shadowclan border near the lake. Dovewing and Poppyfrost started marking the border closest to the shore, and Firestar, Sunclaw, Falcon and Spiderleg went up and down the line where the trees turned to pine. Suddenly there was a little yelp that came from the shore. Falcon turned to see that Dovewing had tripped over a rough piece of driftwood on the shore, and was now being carried out to the lake. Everyone stared at her in shock and horror as she cried out for help. Firestar started to give orders to get help from camp, but Falcon sped down onto the shore and started swimming long, strong strokes. He had frequently gone to the lake to swim when he was bored at the twoleg nest, and had gotten quite good at it. "I'm coming!" he shouted reassuringly, although muffled by the freezing waves that covered him. A wave pushed Dovewing even further out, but Falcon kept churning his strong paws through the water. Finally, he reached her, out of breath, but ready to take her back. "Hold on to my tail!" he gasped. Dovewing firmly clamped her jaws over his dripping tail, but not hard enough to hurt him. Eventually, both panting, they reached the shore. Dovewing collapsed onto the ground and licked Falcon's sodden ear lovingly. "Y-you saved my life," she managed to murmur. Falcon nodded, too puffed out to respond, but licked her on the ear back. Firestar looked at Falcon, sparkling emerald onto sparkling sapphire. "I think you are a true Thunderclan warrior, Falcon."

Maplefall woke up for the second time, to a much more lively camp. Most cats were up doing their duties, and Fernwhisker was sleepily washing herself. She looked up. "Oh, good morning," she mewed. Maplefall waved her tail in response. The dawn patrol was just arriving back, Firestar followed by a dripping wet Dovewing and Falcon, and then the rest of the patrol, looking perfectly dry. Maplefall was instantly worried, and tried to get up and run over to Falcon, but before she could do that, he yelled no and scampered over. "What happened?" Maplefall cried, collapsing back down onto her nest. "Dovewing was swept out into the lake and I saved her!" he answered proudly. She gave him some loving licks. _Surely this will make him a true Thunderclan warrior!_ She was about to say this to him when Firestar called a clan meeting. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey please join me for a clan meeting." Fernwhisker helped Maplefall to the entrance of the nursery so they could both watch. "Today, we are here to welcome a new member of our clan," Firestar began. Everyone looked around excitedly, knowing it was Falcon. "Today Falcon saved Dovewing's life when she nearly drowned on the Dawn Patrol." All the cats gasped. "Falcon has shown great skills in fighting, hunting and has also shown as much kindness and loyalty to our clan than any clanborn cat." Mews of agreement. "So, I think he has rightfully earned the trust, and the status of a warrior!" Cheers of joy and pride. "Here I welcome the newest warrior of out clan, Falcon!" Falcon made his way to the highledge next to Firestar and all the cats cheered, Maplefall the loudest. "Falcon! Falcon! Falcon!"

Maplefall was about to burst with pride. Everyone else had gone back to their warrior duties, but Falcon and Maplefall were still as excited as ever. That night, Falcon would sit his warrior vigil by the entrance, but it was only sun high, and Firestar and Brambleclaw had said that Falcon should get some rest. Falcon had decided to come sit with Maplefall in the nursery, and they had fallen asleep together, Falcon licking Maplefall's ear gently. Suddenly, Maplefall gave a cry of pain. It had woken her and Falcon out of their peaceful sleep, and Falcon was already on his paws looking fretful. "I'll get the medicine cats." He mewed and scampered away. Ferwhisker looked at Maplefall's belly nervously. "I think the kits are coming!" Jayfeather and Leafpool came speeding in, getting down to watch Maplefall. "Yep, the kits are coming," Jayfeather confirmed. "Ow! Ow Ow!" Maplefall yelped over and over. "It's ok, stay calm and just breath," Leafpool reassured her. Slowly, a ripple passed through Maplefall's belly and a tiny dark brown tom slithered out. "He looks just like you, Falcon." Maplefall panted. Jayfeather and Falcon licked the kit thoroughly to bring him to life. Almost immediately, he started breathing and squeaking. Leafpool stayed by Maplefall's side to help her with the other kits. More ripples passed through Maplefall's body, and as the medicine cats predicted, there were four kits. Second came a strong dappled tom with dark brown patches, who looked like a perfect mix between Falcon and Maplefall, then a little ginger tom with white patches, who took a while to wake up, and when he finally did, had very shy little squeaks. Finally, came the only she-cat, a small beautiful dappled kit who looked just like Maplefall. "They're beautiful," Falcon breathed. Maplefall nodded and gave Falcon a loving lick as they watched the kits suckle milk. "What should we name them?" Maplefall thought for a second. "Let's name the ginger one Larchkit, and you name the kit that looks like you." Falcon nodded. "Let's name that one Thornkit, and the dappled one with brown patches Thistlekit. You should name the she-cat." Maplefall looked at the she-cat, and decided to name her Applekit. As they all lay together, Falcon and Maplefall's tail entwined, she thought she heard Feathertail whisper into her ear, _Love is Love,_ but it might of just been the wind.

 **THE END**

 **I will be writing more soon, and thanks for reading!**


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